


Once upon a cruel winter

by ThaliaBubble



Series: Vampires, assemble ! [3]
Category: Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: 20th Century, Blood, Death, F/M, Happy Ending, It's a fic about Bucky, Love, Memories, Pain, What can I say ?, in Germany, or not death, who's a vampire, woods
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:35:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25338478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThaliaBubble/pseuds/ThaliaBubble
Summary: James "Bucky" Barnes intends to ask for the hand of his childhood friend, Reader. To be worthy, he must leave for a while, but promises to return soon.When love makes you impatient, blood always flows and a quiet love story can become a tragedy.Fortunately, time heals wounds and you sometimes have to accept putting yourself in danger to taste real happiness.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Reader
Series: Vampires, assemble ! [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1542622
Kudos: 9





	Once upon a cruel winter

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Loin du froid de l'hiver](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25338385) by [ThaliaBubble](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThaliaBubble/pseuds/ThaliaBubble). 



> Translated with Google traduction  
> I hope you'll enjoy ^^

1904.  
Germany.

Tossed on all sides on the paved path, you hang on to your hat, trying not to gasp too much. This car of doom is likely to cost you your life by backfiring, spitting thick black smoke at anyone who dares to be behind. Absolutely not embarrassed, the driver gives you an amused smile while slowing down to park, removing his thick protective glasses with the proud air of the one who adores his machine.

\- So what do you think? It looks good, doesn't it?  
\- Bucky…

Before his delighted look, you dare not tell him how much you hated this short trip. Truth be told, you don't need it, your greenish complexion from being so shaken speaks for itself and your friend apologizes flatly when he stops the car.

"Okay, it needs some repairs, but I assure you that in a while you will feel like you are on a cloud. "

The young man opens the door for you and reaches out to help you down, his hands firmly on the sides of your waist to lift you up with ease. Maybe it was growing up on a farm but he never seems to be pained to carry you and yet you are not a twig. As always, the same blush passes over your cheeks as your body slides against his to reach land. You've known each other for years, but you both understand that something stronger than a simple friendship now binds you. You're dying to touch his lips with yours, to regain his warmth but on the sidewalk, in the middle of passersby, it would not be appropriate. The city streets offer no discretion compared to hay bales.

\- Miss Y/N…  
\- Mr. Barnes…

James offers his arm to lead you through the park, adjusting his hat with one hand and continuing to smile. He can't help but be happy in your company, even if the subject he needs to address is not easy. As you take a leisurely stroll amidst well-kept lawns, he starts:

\- Y/N… you and I have known each other almost since our birth. I could not imagine a better friend and I would entrust my life to you.  
\- I... me too, James. There is no one I trust more.

You’re worried about your companion’s serious tone, but you cannot tell if the lump in your stomach is apprehensive or aroused. When the young man takes your hand, your heart misses a beat and you hold your breath, unsure of what he is trying to say to you. Caressing your fingers that he knows stained with paint through the fine white fabric, James searches his words carefully. This moment had to come, you both have thought more than once but it all suddenly becomes real. Blue eyes avoid you for a moment before James regains courage and decides to look at you, straightening up with almost solemn seriousness even if his features still express the same warmth.

\- We are still young and I know you have no plans yet to start a home or become a housewife but... Y/N, I would like to ask for your hand.  
\- Bucky…

You miss the words, as well as the breath, and you half sag against your friend by not daring to believe what you hear. You’ve dreamed that he’s been asking you for a while now and there he’s, announcing very seriously that he intends to marry you. This is a dream. However, you sense that there is something else and you dare not let your joy burst, not right now. Besides, James continues hugging you, guiding your steps to a bench where he makes you sit.

"I love you, Y/N, more than anything in the world and I want to marry you but I want to do that in the rules. Before making you my wife, I want to show that I am worthy of you, so I'm going to leave for a while in the East to help my father and complete a project that should save us from need. If this trip goes as I wish, I could stand in front of your mother with my head held high and ask for your hand. "

Kneeling before you, the young man watches the emotions pass over your face: surprise, joy, confusion, sadness. You hardly have time to rejoice that already he announces his departure and you cannot change anything. Even if you understand his motives well, the idea that he can leave you for an indefinite time bother you and you bite your lip while looking down. Bucky gently slides your glove to expose your left hand and slip a simple ring on top of it with a finely cut stone. The ring seems very cold compared to the heat of his fingers but it shines like the eyes of your lover and you smile.

"Okay ... I understand, you have to go. But promise me to write often and come back as soon as possible. "

Without paying attention to curious or shocked looks, you hug each other and let James drop a brief kiss on your lips, chaste but full of promise for the future, your future. It is promised, he will send you a letter every day if he can and he will make sure that he does not leave for more than a month, maybe two. The next day, he packs his bags for the East, leaving you behind, alone and impatient. Unable to show your ring or speak to your mother about your promise, you occupy your time as best as you can, scribbling sketch on sketch, watching for a new letter from your lover every day. Unfortunately, despite all your good will, impatience is gradually starting to gnaw at you and you slip into your missives how much you miss your friend. How to blame you, you are young, secretly engaged. Finally, several weeks after your separation, you decide to leave to join him or at least, to get closer to him. Without notifying anyone, you leave your small room and go on an adventure, your heart pounding. You briefly warned him of your arrival and even made an appointment with him after dark in a small wood nearby. This project is totally crazy but so romantic and you can't wait to find the one who never leaves your thoughts.

How can I describe the mixture of shock and joy that seizes James by reading your last letter, learning that you set out on your own on the roads to see him. Impatient but above all worried, he shows up an hour early, fearing he'll never see you arrive, thinking of all the dangers a young girl can run alone. Fortunately, you arrive safely and throw yourself into his arms laughing, letting him spin around and kiss you until you both run out of breath.

\- You are totally crazy for coming here!  
\- I wanted to see you, I missed you too much.  
\- Tomorrow, I’ll put you on the first train, your mother must be mad with anxiety.

You’ll probably be scolded like never before but for now, you don’t really care, too happy to be with Bucky. You hug against him with a sigh of comfort, letting him guide you on a night stroll. The young man thinks that he will have to give you his bed tonight, that he will have to wake up early to get on the first train, but he is above all lost in happiness. You risked everything to join him, what better proof of love could you offer him? You chat happily, your bodies glued together and sharing the same heat. He tells you that his project is progressing well and that he will soon be back in town to ask you to marry properly, you will finally be able to unite before God.

A sardonic laugh resounds between the trees, as if the wind itself was making fun of you at night. In the shadows, two sparkling red eyes are watching you, the creature licking its drooling lips. A cloud passes over the silver moon, obscuring the landscape in shadow. It doesn't take more for the hungry being to pounce on you with a sadistic growl because it is not so much a rabid beast than a terror-thirsty monster. What could be better than a lovely couple to feed on? The long, sharp nails close on your dress, tearing it apart making you fall to drag you on the floor. The abomination hesitates, should it first open your throat or shred your lover? The prospect of your blood spilling excites it and a groan of anticipation escapes from its throat as it hits James hard in the face. Maybe cutting off his hocks will prevent him from joining you or running away and then the vampire can eat you two for a long time, all night long.

A piece of wood explodes against the back of the monster which turns in your direction, contemplating for a brief moment your face reddened by cold and anger while you are still holding the end of a log. With no weapons at hand, you did your best to divert the creature's attention and save your lover, how adorable. Right, you will be the first to shed your blood. The heavy body of the beast crashes on you while the agile fingers undo the buttons of your collar with excruciating care, too meticulous compared to the violence of its attack. The vampire exposes your throat, wondering if biting your breast would not be fun. A gunshot rings out, the ball crossing the creature's shoulder before it has time to make its decision. A furious hiss slides between the teeth of the vampire who straightens up to turn to its attacker. The barrel still smoking, Bucky keeps his revolver raised. He may not be able to give you much time, but he intends to protect you from this filthy being.

"Run Y/N ... Run without stopping"

He can't give you a gun, you'll have to be quick and he has to distract the monster long enough. James silently addresses a prayer before shooting a second time, aiming at the pale and grimacing creature's skull. Your lover's voice immediately triggers your survival instinct and you run away without turning around, running as fast as you can until your throat and muscles are on fire, until your eyes are clouded with tears and you collapse in an inn screaming like a lunatic that you have to save your fiancé. People lift you, rub you, put you to bed, whispering that it is too dark to try anything. Desperate, you get agitated and delirious until someone make you drink a mixture plunging you into a dreamless sleep. In the early morning, the villagers organize a hunt to find your lover, but they quickly realize that you have been attacked by a pack of wolves. Besides, there is no trace of your alleged attacker. On the other hand, they discover in the forest bullet impacts and, bathing in a pool of blood, a human arm.

***  
Ten years. Ten years have passed since that terrible night, since you lost your loved one. You lived the next morning as in a fog, your awakening at the inn, the announcement of the macabre discovery, your mother who takes you in her arms when you get off the train. Officially, you were the victim of a wolf and you do not have the strength to deny this version, who would believe you? After these events, you closed in on yourself while the whole city was gradually aware of the tragedy. Poor child, what a misfortune ... And then people moved on, life resumed its course around you. Ten years ... and you still haven't forgotten him. Despite your mother's insistent requests, despite the numerous visits from suitors, you still and always refuse to marry or even take off the modest ring that cruelly reminds you of what you have lost. Part of you died in the woods that night and you don't intend to replace it.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay here? The park offers very beautiful landscapes and I will be bored without my dear little girl..."

You shake your head gently while kissing your mother's cheek, you do not intend to reverse your decision. It’s time for you to get some fresh air, to get away. It’s an almost vital need. So you get on the train, your equipment carefully stored in a small suitcase. Far from it all, you hope to be able to rest your mind, to drown in nature by painting canvas on canvas in the middle of the meadows. The little village where you have chosen to spend some time is very pretty and thinking that no one knows you here immediately brings you a feeling of relief. Without waiting, you get to work, setting up your easel to get lost in your thoughts and what should only last a few days stretches into weeks. Obviously, some people start to wonder about the young woman who never says anything and spends her days painting or drawing but people are too polite to ask you questions. Every day, it's the same ritual: you get up at dawn, have a light breakfast and go out into the countryside to let your brushes express themselves. At sunset, you can be seen walking around and after dark, you go back to bed to cry silently on your pillow.

This day is no exception and you take the time to clean your palette before letting your legs carry you without worrying about where they take you. The days are getting shorter and the night is falling faster and faster but you don't care, deep in thought as usual. However, you walk so much and so far that you have to face the facts: you got lost. Quietly, you try to retrace your steps but the landscapes are all alike and darkness settles in little by little without you having found the village. Arms wrapped around you, you shiver in your dress and walk at random, watching for a light on the horizon. Unwittingly, the images of the famous night come back to you, the shadows, the blood-red eyes but also the features drawn from your mother's anxiety when seeing her runaway girl pale, the dress in tatters. It would be a shame if you died when she took so long to accept that you do this journey.

In the ambient darkness, past and present mix, so much that you think you can see the sparkling pupils again, observing you between two bushes. But that can't be true, it's just a mirage of your mind that you don't even pay attention to. That’s why it’s such a shock to feel like you’re being brutally pushed back. You remain frozen as a cold hand closes on your wrist, a weight pressing your body against the ground. Someone or something has settled on you and behind the long curtain of his tangled hair, the being is watching you with a look of pure madness. These eyes reflect only one thought: hunger, a terrible, destructive hunger. But you also recognize something else in the blue of the pupils. A ray of moonlight briefly illuminates the face of your attacker, bringing out the salience of his jaw, the pallor of his skin, the sharpness of his teeth.

"Bucky …?"

The vampire raises your wrist and plunges his canines into it without fear of tearing your fragile flesh, violently sucking your life flowing down his chin in a scarlet net. The pain is invading your brain but the fear is struggling to clear a path, it's too much shock, you can't believe it. Your mouth articulates supplications to which the one you love remains deaf, devouring you greedily without even a glance. Finally, you lose consciousness, sinking into thick icy fog like winter.

***

What is under your body is damp and unpleasantly cold as if someone had forgotten himself in rough sheets. The pulp of your fingers feels the texture of the fabric, you may be on a bed or a sofa. To tell the truth, whatever, you can't really think because your body burns and makes you suffer. Unable to open your eyes, you painfully try to move, exhaling a complaint in the dark. The memories do not come back to you, it is not time yet, you must already become aware of your body which is only a blaze for the moment. Your groan does not go unnoticed and a firm hand raises you with all possible delicacy, before pressing against your lips the hard edge of a bowl.

" Drink "

Without thinking, you obey the injunction and open your mouth, letting a ferrous liquid run against your tongue, drinking more and more impatiently as the pain in your limbs decreases. The drink is taken away too quickly, but at least you’re now able to open your eyes. Although it is pitch dark, you can make out the outline of a bed, of a dilapidated cabin whose pierced roof still drips from recent rain. Kneeling beside you, someone steps back as he puts the bowl down, marking a distance between you as if he were afraid. Unless it is you who should fear him because you recognize the hair too long, the asymmetrical silhouette. Intrigued and not daring to believe that he is your lover, you reach for the young man before suppressing a hiss of pain. Your wrist, the very one that was brutally bitten, is wrapped in a stained handkerchief, forming a rudimentary bandage. No need to look at the wound, you guess it is awful.

Positioning himself as far away from you as possible, James watches you carefully, trying to make himself small so as not to frighten you. For him too, everything is extremely confused. When he saw you in the woods, he saw only a prey, a body of flesh and blood to be devoured savagely like the bloodthirsty beast he has become in the last ten years. But hearing your voice, feeling you in his mouth, it's like a black veil has torn in his mind. Blood is life, it's a little bit of the soul of the person, their qualities, their memories that we can taste and yours was a precious but painful wine. With each sip of the delicate nectar, new images poured in, testifying to a forgotten common past, a lost humanity. Without really knowing why, the vampire saved your life at the last moment, offering his blood to keep yourself from succumbing. He has been watching your bedside for three days now, hoping to get answers and not to go crazy, divided between his bestiality and the vestiges of an old life.

His eyes are on you, you feel him curious and worried in a corner of the cabin, watching for the least of your sighs. Now, you're sure, it's Bucky who’s standing just a few yards away, your Bucky. You know he has changed and, basically, you also know you have changed but whatever, it's the man you love and you get up to join him. Your legs waver, you stagger but hold on, placing a hand on the creature's unique arm, looking him in the eyes.

"I was waiting for you ... I knew you couldn't be dead." You notice his tense posture, his way of staring at you as if he was thinking, did violence to analyze everything. "You don't remember me, do you?" 

A nod, shy. Obviously he’s confused. You will help him, he will become himself over time. For now, you’re just happy to have found him and hugging him, wrapping your arms around his waist to rest your cheek against his chest. You will have plenty of time to think later, quite an eternity to tell the truth. James shivers when he feels your touch, he can't remember the last time he had such a contact. But it is not unpleasant and in his heart where winter has reigned for ten years, a small bubble of heat begins to crackle. He puts his hand on your back with infinite care, feels tears running down his cheeks without him really understanding why. You close your eyes and smile, just happy.

"I will help you find what you lost ..."

You stay entwined until daybreak and even afterwards, when you fall asleep while the sun is racing. Over the nights, James gradually recovers his memories, his personality remained locked up all this time. He cuts his hair, straightens himself and if he stays quiet, a light smile is lighting his face more and more often. With him, you learn to tame your new existence, little by little. Bucky teachs you to hunt, to control your strength and your speed, to heal your burns when a cruel ray of sunshine touches your skin. Your wrist keeps an ugly scar but you don't care, it's just a detail. Of course, you quickly sent a letter to your mother to reassure her and warn her that you would not come back, not for a while. You told her you found James, but she probably didn't believe you, that's okay. After a while, you decide to live more normally, to build your own home on the edge of the forest. Now you live in a nice wooden house that Bucky built with his hands and this evening, you intend to offer him your hand. Or rather, you will offer him his because it is a prosthesis that awaits him above the fireplace. Maybe you will finally be able to get married.

**Author's Note:**

> Requests are open here : https://www.tumblr.com/blog/bubbletimestories


End file.
